


Drift

by KimPirimiriAh



Category: ASTRO (Band), Day6 (Band), GOT7, ITZY (Band), Stray Kids (Band), TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-23
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2020-07-12 06:48:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19941952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KimPirimiriAh/pseuds/KimPirimiriAh
Summary: Eunwoo had it all - striking visual, a decent job, a small circle of friends he chose to be with, and a younger brother that he dearly loved. Except that, he had just experienced a breakup. He is a well-rounded tax manager who knows how to integrate his personal life with the demands of his profession. However, recent events triggered him to leave. Will Eunwoo be able to integrate “love” in the concept of “work-life balance”?





	1. Yellow Wood

**7:48 AM.**

It was a complete standstill. The highway was already looking like a parking lot as vehicles remained motionless along the stretch of it. The ear-splitting noise of cars beeping frequented the area. An hour already passed and the car Eunwoo was driving only moved less than a kilometer.

“Fuck this system!” Eunwoo cursed as he smashed the steering wheel. He always blamed the government for its lack of action in solving the capital’s traffic situation. They were on the road for more than two hours already and they have not even reached the midpoint from their destination.

His younger brother, Jeongin, stirred awake from the loud banging he had heard. “Hyung, you’re cursing again.” He covered his mouth with his right hand as he yawned. “Where are we?” He said with a raspy voice.

Eunwoo looked at his younger brother and noticed his eyes were still drooping from being drowsy. “We’re still far. Go back to sleep.”

Jeongin’s head rolled in a downward motion, as if he did a soft head bang, and went back to sleeping. Eunwoo heartily laughed at his brother’s awkward position. He adjusted Jeongin’s seat to make his brother’s sleeping position more comfortable.

Moments later, Eunwoo heard Jeongin snoring beside him. He sighed, “I guess I have to talk to your manager.”

Jeongin had worked until past midnight for the last four days and have not gotten any decent amount of sleep since then. He worked in the same company named “Yellow Wood” with his brother who was a tax manager in his department. Both of them are licensed accountants, but Jeongin specialized in mergers and acquisitions.

Jeongin was only hired four months ago but he was already given the complex assignments because his performance always exceeded his superiors’ expectations. He was usually praised by his superiors for always getting the job superbly done before his deadlines. Recently, he worked for a highly confidential project that required him and his teammates to render overtime hours because of a crunched timeline. Good thing, his brother and the project manager, Brian, are close friends.

Eunwoo sent a quick text message to Brian.

_Are you up already?_

The car moved a little bit. Eunwoo’s phone beeped. It was a reply from Brian.

_Yeah. Still sleepy, though._

The car was barely moving from its position. Eunwoo entertained himself from being bored with the traffic by exchanging text messages with his friend.

_Eunwoo: Innie’s snoring right now. This kid looks effin’ tired. You guys should learn when to take a break._

_Brian: We’re about to release the final report today. He can take a leave tomorrow if he wants to._

_Eunwoo: I see. Please tell him. You deserve a break, too!_

_Brian: And an iced americano!_

_Eunwoo: Yeah, just don’t overdose yourself with caffeine again._

_Brian: Yes, mom. I’ll treat your lil bro over coffee after lunch. He’s a great asset to the team, tbh._

_Eunwoo: Okay. Just don’t make him work overtime tonight! We’ll dine out after office._

_Brian: Ohh. You’re going to tell him already?_

_Eunwoo: Yeah. Gtg. Green light is on._

Months ago, Eunwoo received an offer to work with Yellow Wood’s affiliate abroad, Clé. It all started when he attended the training for newly promoted managers. He got the chance to discuss with Clé’s chief operating officer and the latter already spotted the young professional’s potential during their small talk. The chief operating officer reached out to Eunwoo months later and offered him a job in Clé, something Eunwoo was very eager to do and excited about. He accepted the offer right away and had his resignation letter signed by his former boss, who got transferred to another department after a reorganization in Yellow Wood. The timing was just right, as Eunwoo did not want to be assigned to the new boss, who was a complete opposite of his former boss in all ways. Eunwoo could not imagine himself working with a toxic and demanding boss who does not respect his subordinates’ personal time.

Today is Eunwoo’s last day at work and only a few people knew about it, including Brian. He intended to hide it from Jeongin for some reasons, but he will finally tell Innie about his decision tonight. He should not be wasting any more time, since he will be flying outside his home country in a couple of days.

===

Jeongin was roused from sleeping by his brother’s hand tapping on his shoulders. “Hey, we’re almost there.”

Streaks of sunlight penetrated the windshield of the car, which made Jeongin blink. He slowly stretched his arms and yawned once more.

“Good morning, baby fox.” Eunwoo teased his young brother as he pinched Jeongin’s left cheek.

“Ou!” Jeongin squirmed. He shrugged off his brother’s hand as he rubbed his right eye. “Focus on your driving, hyung.” He heard a soft giggle from his brother as a response.

Since they were little, Jeongin was often called “fox” because of his facial features. His jawline and the sides of his face have a very sharp angle. In good lighting, a shadow can be seen below his prominent cheekbones. The outer edges of his eyes look sharp and both ends are even. Lately, he dyed his hair red and it complemented his “fox-like” image even more.

Jeongin is a splitting image of his older brother, Eunwoo, especially when the two of them show their warm smiles. Albeit, Eunwoo is taller and looks more mature than Jeongin, being four years older than his younger brother.

As the car entered the parking space, Jeongin reached for his bag and took out his cushion pact. He gently dabbed a little amount of beauty balm into his face, adding a subtle glow to his just-woke-up face. This was his usual morning routine. He preferred to do his skin care routine at home, which will then be followed by applying a little helping of basic make up inside the car.

Eunwoo turned the ignition off as the car was shifted in parking position. They both got out of the car and motioned towards the entrance of the office building.

The Yang brothers always looked stunning with their striking facial features, which were complemented with their daily professional attire. Eunwoo and Jeongin knew how to carry themselves when wearing a coat and tie on top of a long-sleeved white shirt and pants that fitted them well. All eyes were locked on Eunwoo and Jeongin as they entered the building. Eunwoo was already used to it. As Brian would say, the Yang brothers were total visuals. The two continued to walk on their way to the elevator.

Luckily, the Yang brothers were still early for their shift despite being stuck in traffic for more than two hours. Nobody was lining up in the elevator when they arrived.

The elevator ringed a soft sound and it opened. Jeongin came in first and pressed the floor numbers 19 and 23.

“You don’t have plans tonight, right?” Eunwoo asked his younger brother as the elevator closed.

Jeongin shook his head. He was too tired to speak. One may assume he was doing good because his face was glowing but his eyes show otherwise.

“Let’s have dinner after office, okay?” Eunwoo gently gave a pat on Jeongin’s shoulders as the lift was put to a stop.

“Take it easy. Brian told me you’re almost done with the project. See you later.” He smiled at Jeongin and walked out of the elevator.

Jeongin smiled back and waved at his brother as the doors closed. “You too.” 


	2. Last Day

Eunwoo prepared himself for the final client meeting that he facilitated with his temporary boss. He worked hard with his teammates and delivered an output that was well-praised by their client after the meeting. His client was aware of his last day at work today, and he was thanked for helping them grow the business while maintaining their tax compliance. Eunwoo definitely built a strong working relationship with his clients much better than his temporary boss.

“It’s a pleasure working with you, Eunwoo. Aish, I hope someone in your team would be as great as you!” The client shook hands with Eunwoo.

“I’ll definitely miss working with your team, Ma’am.” Eunwoo responded with a warm smile.

However, Eunwoo’s temporary boss made an unnecessary remark to gain attention. “Who needs Eunwoo when I’m here? Besides, Eunwoo doesn’t want to work with me that’s why he is leaving.”

Eunwoo suddenly showed off a blank expression. He was trying his best to maintain his composure. It’s a good thing that their client did not buy the temporary boss’ antics. She no longer prolonged Eunwoo’s awkwardness and already bid goodbye to the team.

The manager followed his temporary boss, who was on his way back to his room. It was the last straw. His patience was already tested way beyond its limits. “What was that about? Are you trying to ruin me in front of the client?”

The boss took a sit in his chair and looked straight at Eunwoo. The manager stood in front of him, not averting his gaze at him.

“What do you think?” The boss bluntly replied, as if he did not care at all.

“I hate to break it to you but you just made a fool out of yourself. You really think I’m leaving Yellow Wood just because I don’t want to work with you? With all due respect, the world doesn’t revolve around you, Sir. It’s not always about you. I hope you get to learn to leave the bubble you’re living in. Please excuse me.”

Eunwoo walked out of the room and left his temporary boss in total shock. He longed to say those words badly; though, he did not intend to express his thoughts that way. Maybe it happened because he contained his emotions to himself too much. As they say, words cut deeper than a knife when the emotional baggage that goes with it was kept for too long.

Tears started to form in Eunwoo’s eyes as he walked on the way back to his room. He was not confrontational as a person and what he just did is against his principles. He was the type who always preferred to settle conflicts calmly. This, however, was an exception. Eunwoo let out a deep sigh as he did his best to maintain his composure. It was peculiar how his chest seemed to feel lighter. As if some of the weight it carried were flushed out along with the air he sighed.

Eunwoo averted his gaze to the wall clock and notices it is already 3:30PM. It was already time to return his laptop unit and other accountabilities to asset management department. He turned off the laptop and placed it inside his bag. He gave his office one last look. For several years, this had been his home. In this small room, he learned so many lessons he did not expect to gain. He grew up as a man of integrity, putting general interest above his own. He may be one of the strictest managers in their department but above all, he was one of the few who had a heart for his subordinates’ holistic growth, be it within or outside Yellow Wood. The feeling was nostalgic, but this moment will soon be archived in the depths of his memory.

Eunwoo intended to leave earlier than his usual time out. “Despedidas” are not his thing since he might end up wailing in tears. Bidding farewell is one of his weaknesses. He had experienced being left by people so many times. He knew how painful and lonely it was to be left behind, but he did not expect to feel twice as much when it was already his time to leave the people he considered as family. Nothing in this world is permanent, as they say. People come and go. For Eunwoo, it’s time to move on and say goodbye. He stepped out of his office and closed its door.

Though, Eunwoo’s staff knew him too well. Hwang Hyunjin, the eldest of his subordinates, expected him to leave the office early. Hyunjin planned a surprise farewell for his favorite manager - something that is not grand yet sentimental. He knew Eunwoo would not want them to prepare for an extravagant farewell party.

Eunwoo thought he was able to escape, but all of his staff were waiting for him at the exit. His eyes bulged momentarily in surprise, tears falling as his lips formed a tight curve. His staff walked towards him and embraced him into a warm hug, some of them sniffing with tears.

“We’ll miss you, hyung.” Hyunjin handed over a small box to Eunwoo. It contained small things that reminded them of Eunwoo: a retractable pen, silver tie clip, some sticky notes, and a preloaded cash card from Eunwoo’s favorite coffee shop.

Eunwoo cried quietly as he hugged them back. “Thanks for everything, guys.”

When everyone settled down, Eunwoo called Hyunjin’s attention. The two of them talked for a short while before Eunwoo finally stepped out of the building. He gave them the warmest smile he could show as he waved at the people who he was very comfortable to work with, people who he had already considered as younger siblings.


	3. The Promise

Eunwoo and Jeongin had a bountiful of grilled meat at a famous restaurant near their office. The younger Yang opened up how excited he was when the final report they have worked on was already released to their client.

Jeongin appeared to be more cheerful than how he looked this morning. He was full of enthusiasm as he told Eunwoo how working with Brian’s team and exceeding their client’s expectations gave him a great sense of fulfillment.

Eunwoo was so relieved to hear those words from his younger brother. Honestly, he was not expecting Jeongin to enjoy the challenging and tiring nature of their profession as licensed accountants, but seeing his younger brother enjoying his job relieved his worries. Jeongin is definitely starting to be matured with how he looks at things.

After eating to their heart’s content, Eunwoo wanted to use the cash card given by his staff so he invited Jeongin over coffee. Although, he remembered that Jeongin already went out with Brian for coffee earlier so he shrugged off the idea. The younger Yang insisted so both of them proceeded to the coffee shop and ordered their favorite drinks. Except that, Jeongin preferred a strawberry pineapple smoothie instead of having another round of caffeine.

It was already past dinnertime and the coffee shop was full of people discussing various matters like some agents offering insurance who obviously doesn’t know what they are talking about and only cared about the commission they will get if they win some clients, which is to be distinguished from those respectable insurance agents who wholeheartedly understand how the system works, students studying thick books on law that are accompanied with several court cases, groups of friends bonding over coffee, some couples who display their affection in public, which always made Eunwoo cringe, and a whole lot more.

Eunwoo and Jeongin decided to take their orders outside and they both walked on their way to the famous garden in the middle of the business district. The two of them sat in the bench and for a moment, they enjoyed breathing fresh air.

Eunwoo tried to gain his confidence before admitting his plans of leaving soon to his brother. Jeongin noticed him tapping his fingers on the rails of the bench, which is something that Eunwoo normally does when he is stressed or nervous.

Jeongin initiated the conversation. “You have something to tell me, right?”

Eunwoo was surprised. His younger brother is really smart. He knew him too well.

Jeongin continued. “I mean, it’s unusual for you to spoil me like this.” He laughed.

Eunwoo let out a deep breath. He should not be prolonging this. “I accepted the offer at Clé.”

Jeongin stared at his older brother blankly. He knew what his brother was talking about. It was his Eunwoo’s dream to grow as a professional accountant at Clé. Jeongin would not forget how Eunwoo bragged about his conversation with the Chief Operating Officer of Clé turned out great and that he was promised an offer to work with them. The younger Yang knew his brother would fight nail and tooth just to be there.

“When are you leaving?” Eunwoo could already feel the loneliness in his brother’s voice.

It was the hardest question for Eunwoo. He knew Jeongin will hurt upon hearing his response. His voice trembled. “This weekend... Two days from now.”

At this point, tears slowly fell from Jeongin’s face. “Are you leaving because of me?”

Eunwoo did not understand where his brother was coming from. He immediately tried to withdraw the idea from his brother’s mind. “Of course not! Why would you say that?”

Jeongin forced out a laugh. “I heard you and mom some nights ago. You were arguing about me.” He sniffed.

Eunwoo did not expect Jeongin to hear his heated argument with their mother. He did not intend to raise his voice but somewhere along the conversation, Eunwoo mentioned that he is eager to leave because he felt like he was no longer needed at home. To him, it felt like his family would still carry on even without him. Having a younger brother like Jeongin, who was way smarter and more affectionate than him, made the younger Yang the apple of the eye of their parents. Jeongin can always get things done in the easiest way he could do it while Eunwoo always had to struggle before he becomes the master of something. It was jealousy at first, but Eunwoo accepted that Jeongin would always be the center of their parents’ attention. This, however, did not affect his close relationship with his brother. As expected from Eunwoo, he kept all of these bottled inside of him.

Unfortunately, the younger Yang did not hear the whole story. The night ended with Eunwoo and his mother apologizing to each other and his mother accepted his decision to leave while Jeongin buried himself in his bed crying out his sadness. 

“Hey, come on. Just ignore whatever you have heard. It’s not your fault. It’s nobody’s fault, okay?” Eunwoo comforted his brother who started to cry hard.

Jeongin wiped the tears from his eyes. “I’m so sorry, hyung. I should have checked on you. I didn’t know you were hurting all those years.”

Eunwoo embraced Jeongin in a tight hug. No words were needed to explain themselves further. The warmth of each other in their embrace is more than enough to melt the cold ice covering their hearts.

Eunwoo always reserved his emotions to himself, in worse cases, he lets his feelings bottle up because he did not want others to worry about him. However, the more he keeps it to himself, the more he hurts himself in the process. This attitude became an exception now as he found himself crying out loud in front of his only sibling.

“I’ll miss you.” Three words. It took three words to cut a wound deep in Jeongin’s heart but it offered him comfort at the same time. Somewhere along those words is a confirmation that his older brother loves him. 

Jeongin broke himself free from being embraced. “Don’t ever think you’re useless, hyung. I need you here.”

Eunwoo forced out a laugh. He looked at Jeongin straight into his eyes. “It’s not like I’ll be gone forever! Of course, I’ll reach out. I’ve seen you becoming the man I wanted you to be. You’ll be okay, baby fox. I trust you more than I trust myself.”

Jeongin quite felt renewed with his brother’s words. He did not need to be saved but it felt like he was relieved from his worries. “I promise to be good, only if you promise me one thing.”

“What is it?” Eunwoo seemed curious with his brother’s thoughts.

“Promise me you’ll never keep your feelings to yourself anymore.”

Eunwoo smiled at his brother, “I will.”

It was getting late and the Yang brothers decided to go home. They were so close to each other while walking on their way back to the parking lot.

Eunwoo and Jeongin felt better, their hearts feeling lighter now. Jeongin told his older brother how Brian mandated him to take a leave for the next two days. Given that Eunwoo is flying out in two days, Jeongin suddenly asked if Eunwoo had something to do with Brian “mandating” him to take a time off for two days. He only got a laugh from his older brother as a response. Jeongin chose to spend the remaining two days with his brother so he will surely accept that “mandatory” leave.

A thought suddenly crossed Jeongin’s mind as he and Eunwoo both entered the car. “Hyung, did you tell Dahyun you’re leaving soon?”

Jeongin only got a forced smile as a response. Eunwoo obviously did not tell Dahyun about it.


	4. Farewell

Dahyun received an envelope from the mailman that morning. She inspected the envelope and saw her name was written on it.

_To: Kim Dahyun_

The penmanship reminded Dahyun of someone she left a year ago, someone she loved. They haven’t talked to each other ever since. Holding the envelope in her hands somehow made her feel nervous. What is in it, anyway?

Dahyun decided to open it. Inside the envelope was a plain pink paper folded in half. She unfolded it and discovered he had sent her a handwritten letter.

_Dahyun,_

_You are holding what I should have said a year ago. I might regret not telling you this. Someone close to me made me realize that keeping my emotional baggage to myself isn’t really a good thing. I’ve been holding on for a year. I’m sorry it took so long for me to say this._

_I should have handled my priorities well back then. I was a slave of my own ambitions, constantly striving hard to reach my dreams hoping that I would be better, and that the people I love would be proud of me. I pushed myself too hard that I became oblivious to the truth that the dream I have always desired is already by my side, you._

_I know I have hurt you far more than I can imagine, and I deserve being left for doing it. You taught me to be alone, and I’ve learned my lesson in your absence._

_Mianhae. Take care of yourself. -Eunwoo_

Dahyun wiped the tears on her face as she hastily grabbed her phone and looked up Eunwoo’s number on her phonebook. Her other hand still held Eunwoo’s handwritten letter.

“Please, please, answer your phone.” She spoke to herself and waited for Eunwoo to accept the call. Her voice still brittle from crying.

_The number you have dialed is either unattended or out of coverage area. Please try again._

Dahyun dialed Eunwoo’s number again.

_The number you have dialed is either unattended or out of coverage area. Please try again._

And tried it once more.

_The number you have dialed is either unattended or out of coverage area. Please try again._

Dahyun suddenly remembered Jeongin and tried to reach him instead. Her heart melted upon hearing Jeongin answering her call. It’s been a year since she last heard his sweet yet somehow raspy voice.

“Dahyun-ssi?” Jeongin normally ignores phone calls when he is in the middle of playing video games but he instantly paused the game and answered his phone when he saw the name of his brother’s former girlfriend.

Dahyun cleared her throat before responding. “Hey, how are you?”

“I’m good! Anything I can do?”

“I’ve been trying to call Eunwoo but I can’t reach his phone. I... just want to know if I can talk to him?”

Jeongin responded with a gloomy voice. “Dahyun-ssi, did he not tell you?”

“Tell what?”

Jeongin was surprised to learn that Eunwoo did not let Dahyun know about his plans of leaving. He thought his brother lied to him when Eunwoo said he will at least say goodbye to Dahyun. Well, Eunwoo did. Though, not the goodbye Jeongin had in mind. If his brother was here, he would definitely punch him right into his face.

Jeongin let out a deep sigh before breaking the news to Dahyun. “He accepted the job offer in Clé. We accompanied him to the airport just yesterday. He must be in New York by now.”

“Oh.” It was her only reply.

“I’m really sorry, Dahyun-ssi. I thought he told you already about it.”

There was no response from the other line.

“Dahyun-ssi? Are you still there?” Jeongin heard a soft sob. He felt bad for Dahyun. His brother could really be a knucklehead sometimes.

Dahyun felt weak as she learned about Eunwoo’s departure. She fell down to her knees and lost grip of her phone, unintentionally ending the call.

Dahyun’s memories of Eunwoo suddenly played into her mind like a flashback. The silence in her room began to be filled with the sound of the pain she felt.

Dahyun constantly made herself believe that she had already healed from being hurt, but things change the way you feel and things always change. All it took to change her feelings was a handwritten letter full of Eunwoo’s remorse. Truth is, Dahyun still loves Eunwoo and just denied herself of her true feelings for a year. 

When all is said and done, moving on becomes the hardest thing to do. Time heals all wounds, they say. But how long will it take for a broken heart to heal on its own?


	5. Five years later

The function hall was filled with cheerful voices as people danced to upbeat and pop music. People were grooving in haphazard places, their arms throwing up in midair and elbows swaying as the music became louder.

Some of the attendees stayed in their assigned tables with their group of friends, enjoying cocktails while recalling the memories they have shared in college.

Dahyun insisted to stay on their table. Attending parties was not her thing. She only accepted the invite because of Nayeon, but her friend was already dancing her heart out with the dancing machine of their batch, Park Sungjin.

The night went on and Dahyun killed time by observing the people around her. She smiled at how people enjoyed each other’s company while they danced with each other. Her heart fluttered at the sound of heartfelt laughter coming from the other groups. People must have missed each other, she thought. After all, five years is quite a long time.  
Back then, Dahyun could not understand the idea of having batch reunions after college. She thought people could just see each other whenever they wanted to, like in college. However, there are people who do not really have the luxury of time to meet their friends often even if they badly wanted to. The reality of life must have been designed to be this way. Now, witnessing the people around her enjoying the night made her understand why.

The DJ shifted the music to a mellow tune. This was the perfect moment for lovebirds to occupy the stage. Moments later, Dahyun heard the people cheering at Sungjin when a familiar love song played. The entire batch knew their theme song because Sungjin used to perform it back in college when he was still courting Nayeon. Sungjin planted a soft kiss on Nayeon’s temple and he embraced her in a warm hug as they both swayed peacefully to their music. It was a very romantic scene for Dahyun, which reminded her of someone she used to danced with in college. For a short while, she wondered if he was doing okay.

Dahyun suddenly heard someone clear his throat. She turned to her side and saw a hand extending in front of her, suggesting an offer to dance with her. She slowly lifted her head up to see who was it, and her heart skipped a beat upon seeing who it was. He was wearing a trucker jacket layered on top of a white shirt that complemented his pants. This guy was wearing his usual airport fashion and was obviously not dressed properly for the occasion.

“Can I have this dance with you?”

It was Eunwoo. Dahyun could not explain her emotions at that moment. She was just thinking about him and Eunwoo suddenly appeared and asked her to dance. Their eyes locked for a short moment, and in that timeframe, Dahyun saw the sincerity in Eunwoo’s eyes.

Dahyun smiled softly and she accepted Eunwoo’s hand. She followed him as they paraded towards the dance floor.

Eunwoo held Dahyun’s right hand and he carefully placed his right hand on Dahyun’s back. They gazed at each other once more as they slowly swayed to the pace of the melody playing.

It’s been six years since Dahyun and Eunwoo last saw each other. Dahyun tried to forget how they separated on their last meeting, but no matter how she tried, she would always remember the pain she felt and how it became more hurtful seeing how devastated Eunwoo was when she left him.

Dahyun was pleased to feel Eunwoo’s happiness through reading his eyes. Her eyes started to glow as tears started to fall. She buried her face in Eunwoo’s chest, still holding him, as she cried her heart out.

“I’m sorry.”

Eunwoo embraced her in a tight hug as they continued to sway in tune with the song. He took out his handkerchief and wiped Dahyun’s tears with it.

The song ended and a new one played. It captivated the hearts of Eunwoo and Dahyun - it was their favorite music.

_I wanna lay down by the fire with you. Where souls are glowing ever warmer too._

A smile spread across Dahyun’s face. Her heart started to feel lighter with every sway they made.

Eunwoo drew her close to his chest again and Dahyun wrapped her arms around his neck. Dahyun withdrawn her hand to brush away her hair, but her hand clasped onto Eunwoo’s hand. Eunwoo delicately placed Dahyun’s hand on his shoulder, and he carefully tucked her hair in its rightful place.

_Moon has never glowed this color.  
Hearts never been this close._

“I should have spent more time with you before.” Eunwoo spoke softly.

Dahyun shushed him with a wave. “No. I should not have interfered with your dreams.”

_I’ve never been more certain.  
I will love you ‘til were old._

Eunwoo’s lips went closer to Dahyun’s ear as he whispered softly. “You are my sweetest dream.”

Dahyun rested her head on Eunwoo’s shoulder. They continued to dance, both too lost in the music to stop. Time passed as they drifted in the steps of the romantic rhythm.

_Maybe the night wants a little hope for us, dear._

Dahyun slowly brought her head up. She inclined herself and planted her lips on Eunwoo’s lips. Eunwoo wrapped his arms around Dahyun’s neck in return and held her tight as the kiss continued.

_Maybe we might want to settle down, just be near.  
Stay together here._

**The End.**


	6. Epilogue

Before Eunwoo left Yellow Wood, he asked Hyunjin to look after his younger brother. It was not a big favor for Hyunjin because the two of them are close friends. In fact, he liked the idea that he would be Innie’s older brother while Eunwoo was physically away from them since Hyunjin always wanted to have a younger sibling. Jeongin definitely missed having his brother around, but he never felt lonely because of Hyunjin’s company.

Three years after Eunwoo’s departure, Hyunjin left Yellow Wood and decided to pursue growing his older brother’s business. Hyunjin leaving the company was not that much of a concern because they have started to become roommates in Jeongin’s condominium unit.

Since then, Jeongin continued practicing his profession at Yellow Wood while Hyunjin helped out Jinyoung, his brother, in their coffee shop. Eventually, with continuous profits, their business expanded its footprints and enabled them to open another shop in the city. Jinyoung managed the old shop, while Hyunjin handled the new one.

“One iced americano for Manager Yang!” Hyunjin cheerfully placed the cup of iced coffee on the table and sat in front of Jeongin. It was Hyunjin’s small treat for his friend.

“Cut it off, I’m not used to it.” Jeongin laughed.

“Ohh. You still like to be called Baby Innie?” Hyunjin teased his friend as he poked Jeongin in his cheeks. 

Five years after Eunwoo left, Jeongin earned his well-deserved promotion as a manager at Yellow Wood. He still worked under the supervision of his former manager, Brian, who recently got appointed as one of the co-owners of Yellow Wood.

Jeongin took a sip of coffee. “I’m picking up Eunwoo hyung at the airport later.”

Hyunjin could see the excitement in Innie’s eyes. After all, five years isn’t a short period of time. “What time is he arriving again?”

“6 PM.”

Hyunjin looked at the clock. It was already 3:42 PM. “You should leave soon. You wouldn’t want to be stuck in traffic.”

Innie nodded. “Just let me finish my coffee.” He took another sip. “Ah, the best things in life are free indeed.” They both laughed.

Hyunjin left Innie for a while and went back to the counter as he heard the bell ring when the door opened. His eyes were fixed at the customer who just entered the coffee shop - a lady whose facial features have a strong resemblance with him. She walked graciously towards the counter without noticing Hyunjin was staring intently at her. Upon reaching the counter, the lady reviewed the menu and placed her order.

“I’ll have one iced latte.” She smiled as she placed back the menu at its rightful place.

Her voice was heaven’s music to Hyunjin’s ears. He was definitely stunned with the beauty of the girl in front of him. Hyunjin snapped out of his daze as he heard Innie clearing his throat. It was his friend’s signal that helped him get back to reality.

Hyunjin took a cup from the counter and marked the lady’s order. He almost dropped the pen as his hands were shaking. Hyunjin glared at Innie who was holding his laughter at a distance.

“May I know your name for the cup?” He stuttered a little bit.

The lady understood why the barista in front of her was acting a bit funny. She found it cute, though. It was like she was talking to a male version of herself. Albeit, she was certain that she doesn’t have any twin or older or even a younger brother.

“It’s Yeji.”

===

It was a fine afternoon and the weather was just right. Not too sunny and not too cold. The weather station had predicted it well.

Eunwoo and Dahyun held each other’s hands as they slowly walked up to their destination. They were lucky on their first visit together. The place was usually frequented by couples and travelers but only a few visited the place today.

Dahyun was mesmerized to see the countless number of love locks placed on the handrails and staircases.

“Should we have one?”

Eunwoo nodded at Dahyun. They saw a store nearby and paid for a love lock that comes with a free marker.

“What are you going to write in it?” Eunwoo asked.

Dahyun pointed the tip of the marker on her chin as she thought of it. “Hmm. I know you wouldn’t want it to sound too cheesy.”

Eunwoo smirked. “Anything that’s plain and simple would do.”

“Alright.” Dahyun wrote their initials and placed a heart in between. “Take a look at it.”

Eunwoo smiled softly. “Let’s place it somewhere we can find it easily when we come back.”

Dahyun agreed. After a short while, the couple found the perfect spot where they finally placed their love lock.

It’s as if Dahyun and Eunwoo had the entire place to themselves. They could only hear the sound of birds singing through the cold spring air and the rustling of leaves from the trees. Eunwoo embraced Dahyun with his arms as he rested his chin on top of Dahyun’s shoulders. Dahyun held his hands as they both gazed at the spectacular view of the city from where they stood.

“You know, I used to sarcastically joke about love locks. Why have it as a symbol of love if it will just be rusted soon enough?”

Dahyun giggled at Eunwoo’s sarcastic joke.

He continued. “Not until we separated ways. We were as smooth as a brand new love lock then, but our destinies tested us. I realized that no relationship sails smoothly. I’ve come to learn that a rusted love lock doesn’t always represent broken promises of love. Sometimes, it becomes a testament to the tests people in a relationship have been through, and successfully hurdled together.”

Dahyun was flabbergasted with Eunwoo’s words. Her emotions were starting to build up. She turned to face Eunwoo, the latter still cuddling her with his arms.

”I realized that I still love you when you’ve sent me that letter. You could have moved on, but you still came back. Even if you didn’t, I would still wait for you. Because I know that you will.” Dahyun confessed. 

Eunwoo cupped Dahyun’s cheeks as he kissed her. “I won’t promise that I won’t hurt you, but I’ll do everything to make you happy.” Tears started to fall from Dahyun’s eyes. She had never felt this happy before.

===

Dahyun rested her head on Eunwoo’s shoulder as they both watched the sunset.

“Shall we go now?” Eunwoo asked.

Dahyun nodded. “Yeah. Jeongin’s probably waiting for us.”

Eunwoo genuinely smiled in response. He’s always soft when it comes to his younger brother. Dahyun loves it when he does. It makes him look adorable.

Eunwoo held Dahyun’s hand as they walked back to the gondola station. They slowly swayed their hands while moving with their fingers intertwined.

A little speck of jewelry that was carefully placed in Dahyun’s ring finger shined as sunlight reflected towards it. Eunwoo and Dahyun can’t hardly wait to announce the big news.


End file.
